Effectiveness of Combined Teaching Methods to Enhance Mathematical Computation in Daily Life: A Study in the ‘Intelligent Thinking’ Course at Prince of Songkla University

This study examines student achievement using different teaching methods, including the flipped classroom, instructor-led exercises, and self-study, and seeks to identify the most effective approach for learning. This study focuses on mathematical calculations in daily life within the course Intelligent Thinking during the second semester of the 2024 academic year. A total of 202 students were randomly selected using simple random sampling, and descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing. The research instruments included an online test and an open-ended opinion questionnaire. The findings revealed that: a) students demonstrated the most significant improvement in calculation skills through instructor-led exercises; b) for complex content, instructor-led exercises proved to be the most effective; and c) approximately 60% of students preferred an integrated approach combining self-study with instructor explanations. Therefore, an integrated approach that incorporates all three methods is recommended to enhance the effectiveness of teaching mathematical calculations in daily life and improve students’ computational skills.